This blog records events and opinions from a Devon and Cornwall viewpoint. Although primarily concerned with Devon and Cornwall it will sometimes comment on national or international matters. But my personal bias is towards Devon and Cornwall.

Saturday, 1 September 2007

More thoughts on the Diana Memorial Service

I blogged the other day about the then upcoming Diana Memorial Service. Now it's over should I change my viewpoint? I have to say that I confined myself to watching the ten minutes of service and commentary that the BBC felt compelled to show on the 6 o'clock news yesterday evening. Although having some sympathy with the two princes, William and Harry, who were children and not young men when she died I still think they shouldn't have gone ahead. Diana touched a number of people's lives, no argument there but should we continue emoting about someone who died 10 years ago? Emphatically not I say. For those who actually came into contact with her there may be a special reason to relate to her, to remember her but the nearest most of us got to her would have been by TV, newspaper or magazine. So why do the latter folk have to join the media putting her on a pedestal.Celebrity culture for me is a real no-no. But it means an awful lot to many including our former prime minister Tony Blair, one of the reasons I didn't like him! Compare Diana to Princess Anne for instance. Anne has learnt to keep her head down but she is known to be very hardworking and is involved with numerous charities. Yet there is someone who now thankfully seems to get much less media attention than someone who died 10 years ago. Of course in America there is the same situation regarding people's adoration of a long dead icon - in that case it's a man called Elvis.My hope now is that we can move on and cease to be absorbed with Diana, but that might be wishful thinking on my part.